Instinct

Sleepwalking habits.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Gwen said.

My eyes cleared up and I looked at her before groggily saying “What?”

"Why are you here?" she said, not yelling this time. "It’s frigging two in the morning!"

"Wha-" I looked around. I was at her place for sure. Second time. "Sorry, I must have…slept walked."

"Slept walked? You slept walked all the way here from your place and slept walked on my door for the last fifteen minutes?"

"Fifteen?" I noticed water droplets hanging from the tips of Gwen’s hair.

"Ya. My neighbors actually called me to see if I was home."

"Well. I’m really sorry about this. I should be on my way…"

"You should…" Gwen leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms. "How do I know you won’t just come back?"

"I don’t know." I wiped my eyes and let out a deep breath. "Is, uh…is the park…I just take a left out of here to get to the park, right?

"Right."

"Thought so."

"No, you take a right."

"Right?" I rubbed my eyes again. I checked my pockets, looking for money for a cab. "Must’ve left my wallet at hope. Shoot."

"Hm." Gwen twirled some strands of her hair around her index finger. "I could lend you some-"

"No no, don’t. I’ve already woke you up."

"Oh no, I was just taking a shower."

"Really? At this hour?"

"Ya." She let out a ragged chuckle. "Guess I’m not the only one with weird night habits."

"Guess not." I didn’t know what I wanted. It didn’t matter where I was then. I had options.

"Well…regardless, you should probably get out of the hallway."

"Probably." I felt the neighbors peering at my through their peep holes. I rubbed my eyes again.

"Look at you. You’ll barely make it down the stairs."

"I slept walk up stairs?"

"Must’ve. Elevators broken."

"Huh…"

"Tell you what. You can stay here tonight and then I’ll walk you home in the morning before I take my jog."

"I wouldn’t want to be a burden. You don’t need to-"

"You’ll only be a burden if you sleep-wake me up."

"Well, I can’t sleep-wake you up if I don’t sleep."

"Oh? Well, you can’t sleep-wake me up if I don’t sleep either."

"Hm, true."

"Come on." She grabbed my hand and pulled me. "Get in here."

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire." I let her lead me. I let her take control.